Debunking 101

I'm receiving an increasing number of political spam email these days, urban legend spew that inevitably gets started by freepers.

These whisper campaigns can be devastating, and they are difficult to stop. But, because they are a grassroots attack, the best way to stop them is at the grassroots level.

In other words, it's not a bug, it's a feature. ;)

Freep-mail also present a GREAT opportunity to set the record straight, get the facts out to people who are clearly misinformed, show up the GOP thug tactics for what they are, and hone our own research and communications skills.

What to do when your friends send you lying email

1. Find the lies
Debunk the email with the sources listed below.

2. Send it back
Send it back to the originator, and copy his/her list.

3. Pass it on
If you have friends interested in progressive politics, send the email to them, too. Odds are high that they are receiving the same whisper campaigns, too, but they may not know where to go to debunk the lies.

4. Blog it!
Post to the blog. For example, Neil wrote an excellent debunk on an email we got about social security this week that I'll post separately.

Outstanding sources for debunking these messages:

http://www.disinfopedia.org

http://www.factcheck.org

http://mediamatters.org

http://www.snopes.com

http://scambusters.org/

Update 2004.08.07 SE

Here are more sites:

Politics & Science - Investigating the State of Science Under the Bush Administration

Federation of American Scientists

People for the American Way

Virginia Public Access Project - tracking state fundraising

Political Money Line - tracking federal fundraising

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting - The National Media Watchdog Group

Get an inside line on the DCCC

Via BOP News:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, aka the DCCC or D-Trip, is hosting an Open House Week through their blog, The Stakeholder, to discuss "everything from candidate recruitment and promotions to our role as a consultant in bringing grassroots support and enthusiasm to races across the country."

Call me a geek ;) , but I'm looking forward to learning more about how the DCCC operates.

I'm adding The Stakeholder to the C101 blogroll for everyone's convenience.

(Reminder: if you want to add a site to the blogroll, go ahead! I'll email you the login info and any instructions you need. Or, just send me the link.)

Kerry Offices now open in Virginia

Here is contact information for the Kerry-Edwards/Virginia Victory '04 coordinated campaign offices in Virginia.

State Headquarters
2112 West Laburnum Avenue, Suite 204
Richmond, Virginia 23227-4358
Office: 804.355.0404
Fax: 804.254.1649

Northern Virginia Regional Office
2722 Merrilee Drive Suite 310
Fairfax, Virginia 22031-4400
Office: 703.207.2004

Hopefully they will have public email addresses available soon, too.

Thanks to Documenting Democracy.

Yes, Virginia IS a Swing State

I saw this poster on the weekend at the Harrison St Coffee Shop here in Richmond. Positively brilliant.



The Facts

George W. Bush won Virginia by 8% of the popular vote in 2000.

Bush won 52% of the Virginia popular vote, Gore got 44%, and Nader 2% in 2000.

47% of eligible Virginia voters didn't vote in the 2000 election.

26% of registered Virginia voters did not go to the polls in 2000.

Virginia carries 13 electoral college votes. Bush got 5 more than Gore in 2000.

You have until October 4th, 2004 to register to vote in the presidential election in Virginia.

VA registration forms can be found HERE or at your local post office, library, and DMV.

Election day is Tuesday, November 2nd, 2004.

Download the poster, buy the poster, or get code for the ad, from the good folks at 8percentva.com/Another Limited Rebellion Design--and spread the word.

What the late great Ray has to say

In the trailer for Ray, the new biopic feature on Ray Charles with Jaimie Foxx, here is a great scene where Ray is getting harassed in a dance hall for mixing up gospel and blues music:

Man: You're turning God's music into sin.

Woman: All y'all are goin straight to hell.

Ray: If all y'all want me to keep playin, let me hear you say Amen.

Dancehall crowd: AMEN.

We saw the trailer at the theatre this weekend. Neil leaned over and said, "We need to teach the Democrats to say AMEN."

And he was dead right.

Unless there's a revolution (god bless Joe Trippi), it may take a lot of time and work and a lot more money before the mainstream media in this country are anything other than rent boys for the GOP. And we can't wait for the magic day to get our message across.

When the media, or the GOP attack dog surrogates, make outrageous claims, twist the questions, cut off the answers, throw reality to the wind and spout their made-up numbers and their bogus bought-and-paid-for PR firm generated science--we need to get the people to say AMEN.

What Ray Charles did in that scene was brilliant. And it's what Pierre Trudeau did. And it's what Winston Churchill did. And Mae West. And Oscar Wilde. And undoubtedly American politicans of previous generations -- I'm just too new here to know who there were, and I don't see them around us today.

Ray Charles shifted the paradigm; he was quick and witty; he didn't fall into guilt and apologies; he was hampered by crippling "niceness"; if he turned the other cheek it was his butt cheek.

He didn't engage, he didn't debate, he took no prisoners.

He controlled the situation and he made the absurdity of the attackers a laughing stock.

And he let the people be his supporters and defenders by letting them in, by being with them, by knowing the answer before he asked the question, by making it clear who the cool kids were.

How do we teach the Democrats to say Amen?